Fire Island: Book 3 of The Chatterre Trilody (Chatterre Trilogy)

by Jeanne Foguth

  And their clothing was decidedly different.

  Which might mean that she would never see her brother, friends, or her parents, again.

  Tears blurred her vision and the sandwich threatened to come back up. She clenched her jaws, closed her eyes and tried to focus on calming thoughts. Several minutes later, when she finally felt like she might be back in control of her emotions, she sighed and opened her eyes.

  Cameron was staring at her with a worried look.

  "I'm fine," she said, as much for her own sake as his.

  His expression didn't change, so either he still couldn't understand her or he didn't believe her. He chewed his lower lip and glanced from the food left on her plate to her. Did he think he'd made her ill? If so, would he stop providing food and shelter?

  Tem-aki tried to smile assuringly and took another bite of the too-sweet red gel-food.

  Cameron's concerned look calmed somewhat, but not entirely. How could she assure him that her roiling stomach had nothing to do with his strange food and everything to do with her uncertainty over her future?

  Whoever Cameron was, he obviously lived wherever here was and knew how to survive in this water-infested environment. She needed that knowledge.

  After she figured out how to survive here, she could figure out if she could find a way to either find Larwin or a way to get back to Guerreterre.

  If anyone had ever told her that she would be sitting at a table that was on a boat, which was surrounded by an unimaginable quantity of water, she would never have believed them. Yet, now that this impossible-to-predict situation had happened, all she could think of was how to get back to her waterless home-world.

  While a cup of water was wonderful, when there was enough to drown in, it was evident that even marvelous things had a point where they became a liability. Until this moment, if anyone had told her she would ever think such a thing, she would have laughed at them.

  Tem-aki gave Cameron another smile and thanked him for the food. Just because he had found her, had not obligated him to help her, much less feed her. At least he hadn't tried to clothe her. She glanced at his shapeless saffron-gold toe-length dress. If the males of this world dressed like that, what did the females wear?

  The feline took that moment to crawl out from under the far end of the long table. Huge as the black and white creature was, it seemed timid, which was as reassuring as it was curious.

  Why would something that had teeth bigger than her pinky and claws that looked capable of shredding the flesh from a madrox fear her?

  Tem-aki looked down. The feline, which he had called a Saphera, was studying her with intelligent blue eyes.

  Gooseflesh rippled over her.

  ~0~

  Cameron didn't know what to think about his unexpected guest. At first, he had thought she and her companion had materialized in response to his prayers.

  Now, he wasn't so sure.

  His attention moved from the one with matted golden hair, who was poking at her berry sorbet, but not really eating it, out the open door to the damaged one, who stared at the sun, with sightless, silver eyes. Uneasiness rippled through him.

  Perhaps he made Captaintemakiatano uncomfortable. If so, Cameron didn't know if he should sit down and eat with her, or leave her alone. Since his stomach was clinching with stress, it wasn't wise to try and eat. With a gesture to Saphera to follow, he went onto the deck to meditate or at least try to figure out why the smaller one was so obsessed with sunlight.

  He sat on the deck, his back to the mast and Saphera plopped down next to him, as they studied the ill one. The more he watched her – at least the curves made him believe it was a her – the more he realized this one was even stranger than the tall one. While there were traces of soot from burning and several slashes in her skin, there was no sign of blood. Furthermore, if he or anyone he knew had been hurt that badly, their bones would have been laid to rest.

  Could this one, and perhaps the other, be demons instead of the creator's emissaries?

  His mouth went dry at the thought, but it made a horrible sort of sense. The damaged one didn't seem to understand, or fear, the burning power of the sun. Which probably meant that she had never seen one previously. That probably meant they had come from the underworld.

  A sudden chill made him shiver.

  Saphera put her massive paw on his lap and began to purr.

  ~0~

  Now that the cat and man were no longer staring at her, Tem-aki could eat with her fingers instead of the strange, slick slicks, which had been provided, so she made quick work of the too-sweet food. Then, with nothing else to do, she watched the odd pair stare at GEA-4 and noticed that while they did not speak, they seemed to be communicating. The feline hadn't spoken to her, either, but she had not considered that strange.

  Now that she thought about it, though, it was odd that the only time she had heard Draco Cameron O’ryan speak was when he had given her his name and that of Saphera. All their other communications, assuming you could call gestures and facial expressions communication, had been silent.

  For the first time in her life, Tem-aki wished she had taken more of the social studies classes, which explained why individuals behaved the way they did. Instead, nearly her entire curriculum had targeted earth-sciences and eventually centered on rocks and minerals. While her education had prepared her well for doing the geological survey she had been in the middle of when she initially spotted the rogue madrox, it certainly had not prepared her for wherever she currently was. And it didn't help her understand why Draco Cameron had moved close to GEA-4 or why he seemed to be inspecting the repair she had done on the circuit at the back of the android's neck.

  She watched with interest as he fingered GEA-4's shredded uniform. Primitive as the cloth his own robe was made of, she wondered what he thought of the high-tech fabric and if he understood how catastrophic the event had to have been to rip and burn the protective fabric.

  As he fingered the material, Cameron got a strange expression on his face. Suddenly, he grabbed GEA-4's face in both of his hands and seemed to stare into her face. Tem-aki jerked out of her chair and shouted, "Don't do that to a droid!" But, GEA-4 had already grabbed Cameron and flung him away.

  Within a blink, he disappeared over the side of the boat. Tem-aki sprinted to the rail, but Saphera beat her, and dove into the horrible water.

  Oh Keus, now she needed to help them both!

  But how?

  She stared at the ripples expanding over the water. Her education hadn't prepared her for anything like this, either.

  Tem-aki whirled to confront GEA-4, who had resumed solar-recharging. "Did you need to throw him overboard? He is the only one here who knows how to exist wherever here is! I needed him. But you didn't think about that, did you? Of course not, all you need to exist is to stand in sunlight." Tem-aki glared at GEA-4. "Well, do you have anything to say for yourself? Can you show me where to find food or other humans?"

  "There is no need. Draco Cameron O’ryan knows how to swim as do most on this planet."

  "I beg your pardon? Are you suggesting that you know where we are?"

  "We are on the planet we were headed to."

  "Larwin is here?"

  "On this world."

  "And you can take me to him?"

  "Negative."

  "Then how do you know where we are?" Tem-aki slapped her forehead, at her stupidity. Now that the 'droid was able to recharge, of course, she had taken the opportunity to do a celestial survey to determine location. "Never mind. Dumb question."

  Hearing the sound of splashes, she rushed back to the railing, where she was grateful to see Cameron dragging himself onto the little boat. He had lost the bulky, blue collar and the robe's gold fabric now clung to his well-toned physique. If he was that fit, why had he hidden his body under the ridiculous tent of a garment?

  Cameron sat down in the small boat and appeared to either catch his breath or be deep in thought.

  A moment l
ater, Saphera rocketed out of the water, landing lightly beside Cameron, then gave her huge body such a shake that she resembled a fountain. As more water dripped off Cameron, she casually hopped onto the deck next to Tem-aki, then sprawled in the biggest pool of sunlight, put her chin on her crossed paws and stared at GEA-4.

  Now that she knew that neither had drowned, Tem-aki moved away from the railing and looked around the big boat, as she wondered what to do.

  Chapter 7

  After GEA-4 finished recharging, she and Tem-aki began repairs to the android's damaged face. "It almost looks like you were in an explosion."

  "I was."

  Tem-aki blinked in surprise and waited for GEA-4 to continue, instead, the android silently continued bonding her damaged tissue. With a sigh, Tem-aki asked, "Do you think you will be able to find Larwin's coordinates, once your sensors are repaired?"

  "Time will tell what is repairable." The android's hands paused and she raised her silvery gaze to meet Tem-aki's in an oddly human way. "However, even if I can determine that, the crucial question is if we will be able to get to him."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Probables indicate that the rocky landmass we discovered is an island. It is the only landmass within sensor range. Assuming my calculations are correct, while we are on the same planet as Colonel Atano, the land mass that he is on, is on the opposite side of this planet. Your suit does not have adequate air to walk that distance."

  The tiny flame of hope, which she had been nurturing, died and tears of despair blurred her vision. "Cameron has the big boat. Couldn't he take us?"

  "Unknown." GEA-4's hands paused, then she added. "I do not know of any world map for this world, so do not know if the water all interconnects."

  That was a problem. Tem-aki chewed her lower lip. "Then what are we going to do?"

  "That is the true question, isn't it?" GEA-4 went back to working on repairs.

  "I always thought that the material covering you was pigment infused during manufacture, but your covering is stark white on the back and tan on the top."

  "Nimri helped me look more human, so I would fit in better."

  "Nimri?"

  "The healer and protector of the Chosen."

  "The Chosen?"

  "Nimri's Tribe."

  Again, Tem-aki waited for the android to continue speaking, but, again, she remained silent. "You have no intention of telling me about her, do you?"

  "At the moment, Nimri is not relevant."

  "Oh, really?" Tem-aki's fingernails dug into her palms, as she fought the urge to smack the infernal machine. "What is relevant?"

  "Survival. Second: repairs. Third: assessing our situation. Fourth: once we know exactly what our situation is, what resources we have available and where Colonel Atano is located, then we can make a plan to reunite with him. Until then, planning anything is a waste of time and energy." GEA-4 bonded the largest torn piece of dermal-layer covering her cheek back into place.

  "That makes sense." And it did, even though she hated to admit it and the only thing she really wanted to find was Larwin, immediately. "Since we have survived, and are now on step two, how do you propose that we assess our situation? Other than the fact that we are in the middle of water and have no way to go anywhere?"

  GEA-4's hands, which were fitting bits of plastoid to repair her ear, stilled and, again, she turned her silver stare on Tem-aki in an oddly human way. "We listen and watch."

  "Listen to what? Words we can't understand?" Tem-aki ran her hand through her hair. "Watch what? How he slices bread and makes something he calls a sandwich? Or maybe how to use a board to move a little boat through the water?" She exhaled, but the pressure inside remained. "Just what valuable information am I supposed to learn from that sissified dress-wearing guy?" The words exploded with a violence she couldn't hide.

  "Draco O’ryan obviously lives here and if we watch him and his feline-companion, we can learn much."

  "How do you figure that?"

  "Do you not remember that he was waiting for us and he had lit a signal fire?"

  "You think he expected us and went there to meet us?"

  "On this world, that would be my best explanation."

  "Why did you phrase it that way? Does this world operate that much differently from Guerreterre?"

  "Nimri's tribe values natural resources and does not squander them, as Guerreterre does. She, Thunder and Kazza all have the ability to use myst power."

  "Mist what?"

  "The books you had as a child would have called it magic."

  "You can't be serious!" The android ignored her and continued repairing the damaged tissue. Already, there was a marked improvement on the left side of her face. "Who is Kazza?"

  "A feline, very similar to Saphera, though he has much more gold in his fur. He is approximately twenty percent larger and his eyes are amber instead of blue."

  "And this so-called-feline works magic?" Her tone squeaked with surprise.

  "Correct. I therefore postulate that Saphera could have the capability for magic, as well, and if so, there is a possibility that she could let Kazza know our location."

  "You cannot be serious!"

  "If you knew Kazza, you would not say that."

  "Whatever." Since the android was now spouting crazy speculation, Tem-aki turned away. Walking to the railing, she studied the shore, and focused on the strange octagonal rocks, which had fascinated her. From this vantage point, she could see hundreds littered the shore. Calibrating her tricorder, she checked each for life signs. Only two other than the one she had taken readings from, while going to where Cameron had tied his small boat, showed life signs. Strange.

  Very strange.

  No matter how hard she thought about it, there was nothing in her geology books that mentioned anything similar, much less had the silica-based readings that also could indicate life.

  Could GEA-4 be correct about magic being a factor in this world? As a chill rushed over her, Tem-aki rubbed her palms on her arms and wished she had ended up somewhere understandable.

  Somewhere, where she didn't need to worry about drowning.

  Somewhere, where men dressed like men.

  Somewhere, where rocks were rocks, not some form of living thing.

  ~0~

  Cameron watched the tender way Captaintemakiatano touched GEA-4, and, again, wondered if they were related. And if they were not related in some way, why did GEA-4 allow Captaintemakiatano to touch her? Again, he studied the smaller one's extensive injuries.

  Had she been attacked by a man?

  That could explain why she had reacted to his touch the way she had.

  However, he could not imagine how anyone had gotten close enough to hurt someone that strong.

  Yet, when he had first seen her, she had been so badly wounded that she couldn't walk. Could that be done from a distance? It didn't seem likely, but then neither did the rapid way her torn flesh healed.

  Cameron had no idea how any person could cause another such extensive harm, but was also aware that humans were capable of bad things. As a draco, he had watched far too many families suffer because one member became unbalanced by either mental or physical illness. And too often, their illness spread to those closest to them. Since he could not figure out how or why bad thoughts and deeds could move from person to person, he still accepted his mother's lesson that it was like having one bad apple in a basket, which tended to taint the rest of the apples, if it wasn't removed and the bad parts cut out.

  And that made him think of Varlet, whose attitudes and laziness were already starting to affect Dirk and Malin. It was bad enough that their beliefs were attacked from outside, nearly unbearable that he had to tolerate Varlet's negativity from within their group. Yet tolerate it, he must. At least until Varlet gave him solid reason to dismiss him.

  Cameron clenched his teeth until his jaws ached. Then, he forced himself to focus on GEA-4 and the way she and Captaintemakiatano were apparently healing her torn fles
h, instead of think about the thorn named Varlet, which had been his problem for over a year. Shaka-uma willing, he would find a solution for Varlet. But right now, he needed to understand why she had sent him these two strange females.

  Cameron wished he knew what to do to heal the injured one. Keeping his distance from the strangers, he noticed that Captaintemakiatano was not actually healing GEA-4, but somehow seemed to be supporting her while she healed herself.

  Was that the secret?

  Did the ill need to heal themselves instead of seek help elsewhere?

  He chewed his lower lip as he contemplated the idea, which was the exact opposite of everything he had been taught.

  Yet, the more he watched them, the more certain he became that they were some sort of supernatural beings. Even though, the only other way he might be able to describe their arrival from the underworld was speculating that they were demons, he had never heard of demons healing anything or anyone. And when he had first seen her, Captaintemakiatano wore the color of Shaka-uma's tongue. Though it was strange and troubling that he could not understand most of her words.

  Regardless, a demon would not have come bearing the staff of power.

  So, that doubt was settled. Whatever they were, they were not demons.

  After over an hour of watching them and nothing dramatic happening, Cameron went outside and looked at the desolate coastline. Draco Shakura, his sect's founder, had controlled the dragon-mother, Shaka-uma with the staff of power, then lost it in a violent storm, which nearly cost him his life.

  Now, it had been returned.

  Why? There had not been a dragon sighted in generations. Why had the supernatural beings returned it, now, unless it was needed?

  Cameron's gaze traveled around the peaceful bay. Were the legends true?

  Had this bay once been a tall cone-shaped mountain filled with fire?

  Had Shaka-uma lived here?

  Had Shaka-uma been killed when the mountain exploded in the cataclysmic disaster which formed this harbor, as the profit-makers claimed?

  Was his faction merely following an elaborate myth?

  Or was Shaka-uma sleeping under Dragon Ridge as she waited for her eggs to hatch?